Suzanne Riccio-Major (born October 16, 1963), also known as Suzanne Riccio, is a former
female boxer
Although women have participated in boxing for almost as long as the sport has existed, female fights have been effectively outlawed for most of boxing's history until recently, with athletic commissioners refusing to sanction or issue licenses ...
who fought two times for world titles. She also competed against many of
women's boxing
Although women have participated in boxing for almost as long as the sport has existed, female fights have been effectively outlawed for most of boxing's history until recently, with athletic commissioners refusing to sanction or issue licenses ...
top fighters.
Riccio-Major was born in
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield is the most populous city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Pittsfi ...
in 1963. She began her career in professional
boxing
Boxing is a combat sport and martial art. Taking place in a boxing ring, it involves two people – usually wearing protective equipment, such as boxing glove, protective gloves, hand wraps, and mouthguards – throwing Punch (combat), punch ...
at the age of twenty-six, when she and
Andrea Buchanan drew (tied) after five rounds on November 1, 1989, at
Bristol, Tennessee
Bristol is a city in Sullivan County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 27,147 at the 2020 census. It is the twin city of Bristol, Virginia, which lies directly across the state line between Tennessee and Virginia. The boundary be ...
. Riccio Major obtained her first victory, a five-round decision win over
Stacey Prestage
Stacy or Stacey may refer to:
Places
In the United States:
* Stacy, California, an unincorporated community
* Stacy, Kentucky
* Stacy, Minnesota, a city
* Stacy, Virginia, a village
People
* Stacy (given name)
* Stacy (Malaysian singer) ...
, on her second bout, held on November 17, 1990, in
Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers (or Ft. Myers) is a city in and the county seat of Lee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 86,395; it was estimated to have grown to 95,949 in 2022, making it the List o ...
.
For her third bout, held on February 25, 1991, also at Bristol, she met young rising star
Christy Martin, who dealt Riccio her first loss, beating her by a five-round decision.
Riccio then took five years away from boxing, deciding to return during the dawn of the often called "golden era of women's boxing", when she took on
Sue Chase
Sue or SUE may refer to:
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* Sue Records, an American record label
* ''Sue'' (album), an album by Frazier Chorus
* "Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)", a song by David Bowie
Places
* Sue Islet (Queensland), one of the Torres Straits islan ...
on June 3, 1996, at
Warrensville Heights, Ohio
Warrensville Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. It is an eastern suburb of Cleveland. The population was 13,789 at the 2020 census.
Geography
Warrensville Heights is located at (41.438653, -81.523262).
According to th ...
. The then thirty-three-year-old Riccio won by a five-round decision. On July 27, she lost to
Theresa Arnold
Theresa Arnold (born September 20, 1962) is a female boxer who beat a number of name fighters during her career. A native of Boise, Idaho, she still lives in her hometown.
Arnold was important in women's boxing popularity rise in Idaho. Only ...
by an eight-round decision at
Rochester, Washington
Rochester () is a census-designated place (CDP) in Thurston County, Washington, United States. It was founded in 1852, and the 2020 census recorded its population at 6,064. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total are ...
.
On January 17, 1997, Riccio-Major earned her first, and only, professional boxing
knockout
A knockout (abbreviated to KO or K.O.) is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, karate, some forms of taekwondo and other sports involving striking, ...
win, when she defeated
Patricia Simms in the first round, at
Waukegan, Illinois
Waukegan ( ) is a city in Lake County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. Located north of Chicago, Waukegan is a satellite city within the greater Chicago metropolitan area.
As of the 2020 census, its population was 89,321, makin ...
.
After that victory, she was offered her first shot at a world championship, when she met
Cheryl Robertson, on February 3, for the
WIBF
The Women's International Boxing Federation (WIBF) is one of the more recognized world championship fight sanctioning organizations in women's boxing. Founded in March 1989, it is based in Miami, Florida, and presided over by Barbara Buttrick. The ...
's world bantamweight title. Riccio-Major lost by a ten-round decision, in
New Orleans
New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
.
Immediately after that title shot, Riccio-Major was offered another world title try, when she fought with the
IFBA world Flyweight champion.
Yvonne Trevino
Yvonne Trevino (born 18 January 1967) is a kickboxing and boxing champion from Peoria, Arizona, United States. She was inducted into the International Women's Boxing Hall of Fame in 2023.
Career
On April 20, 1995, at the Aladdin Casino in La ...
, in
Biloxi
Biloxi ( ; ) is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States. It lies on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast in southern Mississippi, bordering the city of Gulfport, Mississippi, Gulfport to its west. The adjacent cities ar ...
. Once again, she lost by a ten-round decision.
After that defeat, she scored three wins in a row, two against
Karina Hernandez Gastelum. She suffered, however, a three fight losing streak after those three wins, being defeated by "
Downtown Leona Brown" on points, by Trevino in a rematch which saw both women go down, by Tko in five rounds, when referee, the late Mitch Halpern stepped in for no apparent reason. a ref not wanted by the major team
x Husband/Trainer, William Majorinitially for his anti women boxing views. Trevino and her manager Jackie Kallen promised a rematch which never materialized and to Kathy Williams in her only fight abroad, on points. The fight with Williams was held in
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
.
On July 28, 2000, she got her last career win, beating
Larissa Smith in Boston by a six-round decision. After losing to
Jamillia Lawrence by knockout in two rounds on August 25 of that year in
Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs is a Administrative divisions of New York#City, city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 28,491 at the United States Census 2020, 2020 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the ...
, she retired from boxing in 2001.
Riccio-Major had 7 wins, 8 losses some controversial and one draw in professional boxing, with one win by knockout.
Professional boxing record
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Riccio-Major, Suzanne
1963 births
Living people
American women boxers
Sportspeople from Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Super-bantamweight boxers
21st-century American women
20th-century American sportswomen